Jason Smith named Team WHL Honourary Captain

CALGARY, AB – The Canadian Hockey League in association with the Western Hockey League and Regina Pats Hockey Clubs today announced that former Regina Pats defenceman and team Captain Jason Smith will serve as Honourary Captain for the 2011 SUBWAY® Super Series game between Team WHL and the Russian National Junior Team being held in Regina, Saskatchewan on Wednesday, November 16th. Smith will participate in the pregame ceremonies as part of the game on Wednesday, November 16 in Regina and will co-headline the Pats WHL All-Star Luncheon with former Medicine Hat Tigers’ goaltender Kelly Hrudey on Tuesday, November 15 at the Hotel Saskatchewan Radisson Plaza.

Smith, a product of Calgary, Alberta, began is Western Hockey League career with the Regina Pats full-time in the 1991-92 season and went on to appear in 128 WHL regular season games and 17 playoff match-ups. Having collected 23 goals, 104 points and 350 penalty minutes during his career in the WHL, wearing the Captains ‘C’, Smith helped lead the Pats to the Division Final during the 1993 WHL Playoffs gathering 12 points in 13 playoff games. He was named to the Western Hockey League’s all-rookie team in 1992, WHL First All-Star team in 1993 and went on to win the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy as the WHL’s Top Defenseman in the same year. Smith was also a member of the Gold Medal winning Canadian National Junior team at the World Junior Championship in 1993.

Originally drafted in the 1st round of the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils, the rugged defenceman retired from the NHL in September of 2009 after 15 seasons in the National Hockey League. Known for his leadership and determination, Smith scored 41 goals and racked up 128 assists in 1,008 games, with 1,099 penalty minutes in the NHL. He also played in 68 playoff games in his career, recording 13 points. He spent time in New Jersey, Toronto, Edmonton, Philadelphia and Ottawa, but it was with the Oilers where he had his greatest success. He spent over seven seasons with the Oilers, six as captain (2001-07), the longest tenure in franchise history. As Captain Smith helped lead the Oilers to the seventh game of the Stanley Cup final in 2006, playing 24 games during that playoff campaign, with a goal and five assists.

“We are thrilled to have Jason return to Regina to be the Honorary Captain for Team WHL at the Subway Super Series next week,” commented Regina Pats President and Governor Brent Parker. “It has been a while since Jason left the Pats and embarked on a tremendous NHL career that saw him become one of the NHL’s premier defensive Defensemen, we look forward to having him impart some of his wisdom on our current players and the WHL All-stars.”

Team WHL will also face Team Russia in game six of the series on Thursday, November 17 in Moose Jaw, SK. The first two games of the series were hosted by the QMJHL with the OHL hosting games three and four.

Game tickets for Wednesday, November 16 in Regina are available at the Brandt Centre Box Office, located in the East entrance, or Ticketmaster by calling 543.7800 Toll-free: 1.800.970.7328 or Log onto www.ticketmaster.ca. Game tickets for Thursday, November 17 in Moose Jaw are available at the Mosaic Place Box Office – (306) 624-2050 or http://tickets.mjwarriors.ca/

The 2011 SUBWAY® Super Series is supported by CHL associate sponsors, Bank of Montreal and CCM.

All games will be broadcast nationally on Sportsnet with the two QMJHL games shown on TVA.

For more information about the event and tickets please visit www.subwaysuperseries.com